Our Philosophy

We believe that students need two ingredients to grow into growing leaders: Events and Process

The Need of the Hour

We invest hours uncovering research on the latest Generation of students, the ones we typically call, Generation iY (the ones born since 1990) and the Homelanders (born since 2002). While we see substantial positive qualities in these students, (such as confidence, creativity, optimism, and a familiarity with technology) we also see a grave need to develop life skills that have “atrophied” due to disuse.

We believe four great needs in students today are:

1. Emotional Intelligence

The University of Michigan’s longitudinal study demonstrates that students are 40% less empathetic than ten years ago. They have diminished skills in self-awareness, self-management, social-awareness and relationship management.

2. Character Development

An unintended consequence of a pluralistic culture is a drop in students knowing what is right and wrong. Today, more students cheat on tests, excuse stealing and lie to authorities than a decade ago. There is a decline in moral intelligence.

3. Strengths Discovery

In the last decade, students have moved from ambitious to ambiguous about their future. Often paralyzed by so many options, they’ve not identified their natural strengths and remain fuzzy on their identity.

4. Leadership Perspective

Research from UCLA confirms that in today’s world, every graduate will need leadership skills. Not merely those in student government but everyone will need vision, people skills, clear priorities and courage to act.

Over the next ten years, nearly half the workforce in America will be departing, as 10,000 Baby Boomers retire daily. Even if everyone in Generation X was a brilliant leader, there will not be enough of them to fill the vacancies left by the Boomers. Generation Y and Z will be needed to fill management and leadership positions, ready or not.

We live in an increasingly complex world. We face more problems that perhaps we’ve ever faced. Leaders solve problems. This is why we cannot merely help our kids graduate. We must equip them to be leaders who solve problems and serve people. This is the need of the hour: life-giving leaders.

It's Simple

To fully equip and prepare students, every training event should be followed by an ongoing process that provides support and accountability. This is where real life-change occurs.

Events

Encourage decisions

Motivate people

Are a calendar issue

Usually a big group

Challenge students

Becomes a catalyst

Easy

Process

Encourage development

Matures people

Is a consistency issue

Usually about a small group

Changes students

Becomes a culture

Difficult

The Growing Leaders Philosophy on leadership development for students

It's an inside job before it's an outside job.

It's a process more than an event.

It's a right-brain function before a left-brain function.

It's more about a disposition than a position.

It's more caught than taught.

It's learned through both uploading & downloading.

It's about an experience not just an explanation.

It's more about service before it's about success.

It's about relationships before it's about results.

Event and Process

Growing Leaders’ goal is to equip and mobilize one percent of the world’s population under the age of 25 (30 million students) to think and act like authentic, life-giving leaders. We help students discover their purpose, equip them for leadership, and prepare them to use their gifts to serve the world around them.

If you're interested in beginning a partnership with Growing Leaders through an event, click to request information about a Growing Leaders Speaker.

If you're interested in beginning a partnership with Growing Leaders through an event, click here to request information about a Growing Leaders speaker.